Correlation between the values of circulating blood elements with the size of spleen in the presence of schistosomal splenomegaly.

Purpose: To evaluate a possible relationship between the size of the spleen and values of circulating blood elements in patients with schistosomatic splenomegaly.

Methods: ixty one patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis mansoni underwent a clinical exam and peripheral venous blood was collected for a hemogram. The erythrocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, leukocyte, and platelet values were determined.

Anti-CCP antibodies are not a marker of severity in established rheumatoid arthritis: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

Introduction: The presence of anti-CCP is an important prognostic tool of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). But research is still ongoing on its relationship with disease activity and functional capacity.

Objectives: To study the relationship between anti-CCP and disease activity, functional capacity and structural damage indexes, by means of conventional radiography (CR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in cases of established RA.

Closure of large wounds using rubber bands in rabbits.

Objective: to verify the effectiveness of the rubber elastic band in the treatment of large wounds of the body wall of rabbits by means of traction of its edges.

Methods: we studied 30 New Zealand rabbits, divided into three groups (n=10): Group 1- healing by secondary intention; Group 2- removal and eutopic repositioning of skin as full thickness skin graft; Group 3- Approximation of wound edges with elastic rubber band. In all animals, we removed a segment of the back skin and subcutaneous tissue down to the fascia, in accordance with an acrylic mold of 8 cm long by 12 cm wide.

Primary hepatic lymphoma: A case report.

Introduction: Primary hepatic lymphoma is a rare malignancy which misdiagnosis and mistreatment is very frequent. Differential diagnosis of the hepatic lesion, based on the noninvolvement of blood vessels, includes: fatty infiltration, cirrhosis, amyloid infiltration, primary hepatomas, and metastatic neoplasms.

Presentation Of Case: We describe a case of a 69-year-old man who presented with 15% weight loss and general fatigue over the previous 9 months.

Magnetic resonance imaging in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory polyarthritis that often leads to progressive joint destruction and disability. The treatment and management of RA has been based on early identification of the disease and intervention with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Changes in management have resulted in significant improvements for patients with RA, including reduction of signs and symptoms of disease, joint preservation, and reduction of structural damage progression.

Echocardiographic parameters associated with pulmonary congestion in Chagas cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: Discrepancy between the intensity of pulmonary congestion and the grade of cardiomegaly seems to be a common finding of Chagas cardiomyopathy, in spite of significant systolic dysfunction of the left ventricle. Its mechanism has not been established. The aim of this study was to investigate pulmonary congestion and to analyze if it correlated with Doppler echocardiographic parameters in patients with Chagas dilated cardiomyopathy.

[Usefulness of neck ultrasonography in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer].

Neck ultrasonography (US) is recommended for the assessment of all patients with thyroid carcinoma after initial therapy, since even low-risk patients with undetectable stimulated thyroglobulin (Tg) may present cervical metastases. In the case of these metastases, US is the most sensitive method and is superior to whole-body 131I scanning. Cervical lymph nodes with a diameter > 5 mm presenting thin calcifications and/or cystic degeneration have almost always a malignant etiology.